Embracing the Power of Influencer Marketing

We all know the power of positive word-of-mouth recommendations and publicity within our social sphere. In today’s digital age, influencer marketing takes that power and dials it up a few notches to create a formidable strategy for socially savvy businesses.

A targeted influencer marketing campaign can help drive brand growth, build brand awareness and foster authentic connections.

Even with the industry know-how behind us, Team Aruga are suckers for an influencer campaign. We’ve been motivated to take a trip to Morocco, experiment with fancy tech items, branch into bold new make-up choices (think metallic purple lipstick) and never-look-back hair styling devices, invest in luxe (read: expensive) handbags and tap into a tipple from the Inspired Unemployed lads’ Better Beer range.

As seasoned marketers will know, they have continued to grow in popularity and relevance ever since challenging brands to rethink their marketing strategies. Once a niche tactic, influencer marketing is now considered a crucial element in the marketing mix for many brands.

The stats:

• 59 per cent of marketers say they invested in influencer content in 2022, with nearly 60 per cent of marketers globally saying they are increasing spend on influencers in 2023
• Many smaller brands utilise influencer marketing almost exclusively, while large companies are allocating up to 10 per cent of their advertising budgets to this approach
• Analysts estimate the annual value of influencer advertising at several hundred million dollars in Australia alone and about $25 billion globally

So, you might be asking yourself… WHY??

The most successful influencer marketing activity oozes authenticity, generating trust between the content creator and their audience in a way that no advertorial or television campaign can.

When executed well, brands can benefit from the solid and genuine relationships many influencers hold with their audience. When an influencer promotes a product or service, followers perceive it as a personal endorsement rather than a sales pitch.  It’s a trusted word-of-mouth recommendation at scale.

It can take a lot of work to build a following on social media. Consumers are swamped by content, and it can be near impossible to stop the scroll, let alone get them to engage or transact with your brand.

Working with influencers facilitates an introduction to their followers. It can help brands authentically communicate with a new audience, winning the attention of distracted customers via an existing relationship.

Consumers can sniff a fake a mile off, so content alignment is critical. A strategic influencer marketing approach will identify and target relevant influencers with interest and/or expertise in your subject or product. If done effectively, the result will be custom content that utilises the content creator’s passion, expertise and understanding of their audience, and – most importantly – feels super authentic.

Whilst handing your brand or product over to an influencer and offering creative control can be daunting, it can also achieve the best results and keep your brand relevant. Influencers tend to live and breathe social media. They’re across the latest lingo and content trends and can develop carefully curated, culturally current content.

Through influencer marketing, brands no longer rely on a single brand representative or spokesperson. Unlike top-tier celebrities, many influencers have curated audiences who find them relatable, likeable and trustworthy. Their testimonials, unboxings and demonstrations hugely influence their audiences’ path-to-purchase decision-making, as there is a sense of a personal relationship.